Rebirth through wicked flames
by Juwch
Summary: AU fic. Rikka, Wielder of the Wicked Eye, is a social outcast that was locked away from young age out of fear of her powers by the "Organisation" her family belongs to. Recently allowed to roam free in a prefect of Tokyo under the watchful eye of the most powerful Priestess, she fights otherwordly creatures untill she meets Yuuta, who shakes both her and the Organisation's world.
1. Chapter 1

**Author Preface**

This is my first fan fiction so please consider that while reading this. Rikka and some other characters have changed personalities through differs in backstory and I'm planning a more prominent role for Isshiki. All weapons will be redesigned because the weapons in the anime are hard to write around. Also for those who read the original novels, I'm sorry, but I haven't, so all my knowledge is based on the 2 anime seasons which may be incorrect. With that out of the way, enjoy reading.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

She sensed it. The presence of an otherworldly creature pushing its way into her world. She grinned. If she could sense it's mana through the spells laid upon her apartment by the Priestess, it would prove to be a great fight. She couldn't sense whether it was a Demonic or Angelic spirit or even a banished ability user, but it didn't matter. All would fall before the powers of her stigma, The Wicked Eye. She got up, and quickly threw on her clothes, a dark skirt with a lacy white underskirt, a purple long sleeved shirt, a black sleeveless vest and dark brown boots. She walked towards her door stopping right before grabbing the knob. Although she had permission from the leaders of her "organisation" and of the local association of temples to fight, the Priestess didn't like it when she had to watch over the use of her stigma. Especially not when she had to wake up for it. Thinking about that she also instilled herself to limit her mana outpour during battle. If it exceeded a certain level the Priestess would surely notice and she would definitely have her locked away again.

She turned around and walked onto the balcony. She slung a rope over the edge and looked down, calculating the jump to the next balcony beneath her. Grabbing hold of the rope she leaped. She jumped over the railing, letting the rope slide in her hand. The rope started swinging back and at the exact right moment she grabbed it tightly, landing softly on the railing of the balcony beneath hers. A boy stood there, shocked out of his mind. He was about her age, slightly older physically but most likely a speck of dust in comparison to her mentally as she had the knowledge of all that held the stigma before her. She teasingly asked: "Did you see?" As he stood there with his mouth open, too paralysed to say anything, she took the time to study him a bit more. She rarely saw her neighbours, the boy even more so. He was wearing a grey parka and dark green pants. Brown hair, slightly tanned. And then she looked him in the eyes. Her brain stung and she wobbled a bit. He finally got out of his state of shock and jumped forward to catch her. She had already regained balance however and softly kicked him out of instinct. He fell, but the needle was still in her brain. It wasn't his spell then. Memories of dark and murky flames shot up.

"Who are you?", she asked.

"Togashi Yuuta", he whispered with fright clearly shown on his face.

It didn't bring any more memories and the memories of flames faded. She was still confused and now ached to set her mind on something else, and a fight would do nicely. So she jumped, leaving the boy behind.

Landing on the ground, she sprinted forward through the park behind her apartment complex toward the street. Stopping at the sidewalk as her senses regained their normalcy she turned around and looked back at the boy's balcony. He stood their scratching his head, looking around to see where she had gone. She sighed. She started to think she would never understand normal humans. She turned to the now clearly sensible mana and grinned once more. A demon would lose its powers again. And it was close by. She jogged for a couple of minutes and stopped at the grounds of an abandoned temple. Leaping over the fence she entered the forest surrounding the temple. A minute later she found where the demon was pushing against the veil that separated the dimensions. The ground had turned ash grey and veins of darkish red ran through the marked area.

She removed her eye patch to reveal her "Eye". In contrast to her normal blue eye this one was golden and every once in a while black veins jolted through it, like lightning strikes. She whispered: "Vanishment this world" and disappeared from the forest.

She stood in a cave, the trees in the forest replaced with stone pillars. And at the place where the marked area had been, stood the demon. A fire demon as she had suspected. Humanoid, but three meters long with dark reddish skin, a short scaled tail, and horns which almost circled completely, barely not scratching his own cheeks. At the very least, not yet. He wore black plate armour on his chest and green scaled pants, probably a former enemy. 3 eyes without irises or lids turned to her as she showed up in his dimension. He now had two choices, the first one was breaking his concentration on entering the Human World and restarting after fighting her or doing both simultaneously. But demons usually don't get this strong if they're dumb so he quickly turned toward the intruder, drawing his large two-handed sword and using it as a support after stabbing it into the ground.

"Well, you look like a tasty treat, human, what might your name be?" he asked rather cockily as he stood there towering over her one-and-a-half meter length.

She threw on her wickedest smile and leaned on the pillar closest to her with her eyes closed. You could say a lot about demons but they were always courteous. She, however, cared not about courtesy thus she said: "You first, small fry."

The demon gritted his teeth and angrily yelled: "I am Doxius, Captain-Commander of the Black Flock, now tell me who you are before I cut of your head!"

She sighed, it was only a Captain-Commander. What a waste of her time. It must have been because he had tried to break through nearby her that she felt it. She pushed herself of the pillar and walked back to the spot where she entered. She bit her thumb and started to accumulate mana, still not showing her "Eye" to the enemy. One drop of blood hit the floor of the cave and she released enough mana to create her weapon. The polished wood appeared in her hand and she grabbed it. A double bladed axe infused with her mana during the smithing process. It was a crude weapon, the silverisch grey blades veined with gold and black but it was hers, and she loved using it. But she didn't need it today, it was theatricality. She also loved instilling fear into her enemies. And it worked.

As soon as Doxius saw the axe he pulled his sword out the ground and screamed: "That axe! This can't be!"

She lifted her face, so he could see it, and declared: "I am Takanashi Rikka!"

The demon rushed toward her.

"Wielder of the Wicked Eye!"

The demon lifted his sword, ready to strike.

She aimed her axe at him, grinning wickedly, and said,

"And you are dead!"

A purple beam of energy shot out the tip of her axe handle and pierced Doxius' chest.

He screamed in death, anger and fear. His body crumbled and dissipated. The demon wasn't dead, his body was, his memories, his powers were. But he would embody another flame and might grow stronger. She at the very least hoped. She always loved a good fight. And if the demons or angels grew too strong, 'they' would let her loose to wreak havoc upon them.

She let her axe disappear with that happy thought, put her eye patch back on and returned to her world.

* * *

He had been putting away trash onto his balcony when a large shadow flew by the moonlight. He turned toward it only to see a girl swinging from a rope land on the railing of his balcony. He stared in both shock and awe. He didn't know what to say so he didn't say anything. He just stared at her. Fair skin, dark bluish hair, "Hell? That couldn't be natural" he thought, Light blue eyes, or rather eye, since the other was covered with an eye patch and about his age. Clothing wise she looked a lot like Sophia, a girl, the only girl that liked and joined him in his Chuunibyou syndrome. His most prominent thought however was that she was cute, stunningly so.

"Did you see?" she asked teasingly.

He didn't know what to say but then, she wobbled.

He jumped forward to grab her but only caught a foot. With his face.

He landed on his bum and heard her ask harshly "Who are you?"

Scared because he was kicked without even seeing it coming he quickly whispered "Togashi Yuuta".

And then she was gone, she had disappeared almost instantly from his sight. She had jumped, she must have… right?

He jumped up and looked over the edge of his balcony only to see nothing. He scratched his head and looked around to notice a figure that looked well enough like her to be her. She was at the street, hardly ten seconds had passed and she had crossed the park? That was a 5 minute walk! If you walked fast! He had to know who she was. His curiosity got the better out him and he rushed out of his home, after her.

He arrived at the street only to catch a glimpse of her as she cornered a road. He followed and caught up, slowly, but he did. He started to think he had imagined that she had ran so far so fast, that it was only because he had been scared out of his mind or better yet, because this was only a dream or rather, nightmare. But at that moment she stopped jogging and jumped over a two meter fence. Cleanly jumped over it! Was she a martial arts master or something? But curious as he was he followed. He crawled over the fence and followed the traces she left in the forest. He saw her at a small open place before she disappeared. Again! What the hell was she?

He ran toward the open spot where she disappeared only to see a ash grey circle with pulsing dark red veins. Was she beamed up by aliens or something!? At that moment the veins disappeared and he jumped out of surprise. On his guard he studied the area. Her foot prints never reached the grey spot so she couldn't have been beamed up… right? Where is she then? Her steps ended right there, and there was no mud on the trees so she couldn't climbed them. It was at that moment he heard a slight thud. He turned around and,

There she was.

And then there was darkness.

* * *

**Author afterword**

You read to the end? Thank you. I threw a lot of terminology in here which will be explained in later chapters which I hope you'll excuse me for. Now for the story, I have some ideas how to continue, but nothing definite. What I can say is that if this takes of a bit, there will most likely be a longer story than that of the original IP, simply because I have an addiction to fantasy books, with their large worlds and whatnot. I'm trying to incorporate that here, I think. The next chapter is probably going to be a rather long one. Rather than a first chapter this was probably more of an interlude anyway.

Please leave a review with your thoughts and once more thank you for reading.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Yuuta awoke with a terrible headache. He lifted himself into an upright position and then realised that he was in his own room. Had last night been a dream then? Maybe the dream was something his brain made up to explain the headache? He was wearing his pyjamas so it had to have been a dream. After all when she presumably knocked him out he had been wearing normal clothes. She wouldn't have used him as a doll… he thought. He hoped! It was probably just a dream. He was a 16 year old after all, dreaming of cute girls was normal. Combine that with his recent healing from his chuunibyou syndrome and it would all fit.

He decided to check one more thing though. He glanced through his window at the balcony, and there was no rope. He smiled, he actually had to laugh. Stress for his new high school life had actually made him believe something as ridiculous as that was true. He was laughing so hard that Kuzuha, one of his younger sisters, knocked on his door, and asked if he was alright. He wiped away a tear and got up. He opened the door and patted her head.

"Of course silly, why wouldn't I be?"

"You're so weird brother."

"No, not anymore. Left all of that behind me."

"You always be weird brother." Kuzuha said as she stretched herself to pat him on the head as well.

"That's not a compliment, Kuzuha."

He smiled and turned around to get his uniform. Kuzuha had already been in her uniform, she was starting middle school at the same time he started high school. He wanted to say something about it but she was already walking away to the living area for breakfast when he came back out.

So he yelled: "You look adorable by the way!"

She turned around, face bright red and roared: "Shut up brother!"

He quickly retreated into the bathroom and heard something smash against the door with great force. He laughed and heard a small growl of anger coming through the door.

"I'll get you back for that brother!"

"Give me your best shot!" He yelled back.

He knew she would get him back, and then he would do something to get back to her and so on and so on. That had been playing this cat and mouse game for 13 years, since the day of her birth. He always had a good relationship with his family, even during his chuunibyou days. His mother had thought it was just a phase and Kuzuha had loved teasing him about his lack of powers although he fervently kept believing he did. He smiled, realising how happy he was with his family, and soon with his new life. He got dressed in his uniform, which consisted out of a white dress shirt, tan coloured sweater, a striped red school tie, a dark blue blazer and matching pants.

He walked out of the bathroom and saw one of Kuzuha's textbooks lying on the floor. Grinning, he grabbed and walked toward the living area. Kuzuha was still a bit red and was stuffing omelette in her face.

"Aren't you going to need this someday?"

She grumbled a thank you and quickly stuffed another piece of her omelette in her face.

He grinned and greeted his mother.

"Good morning mum."

"Morning Yuuta." As she extended a plate for him. He reached out for it but she quickly pulled it away before he got it.

"Be a sweetheart and get Yumeha for me, will you?" She said with a devilish grin.

He sighed in acceptance: "Sure mom. She's in her room, right?"

"She should be."

So he walked to the girls' room and found nobody. Of course she wasn't there, why ever would she be in her own room. He sighed once more and walked to his own room. He prepared himself and opened his door.

He heard "Darke Flamu Mastee" in broken English and he was smashed on his forehead with his own sword. He grabbed the blade, lifted it of his head and said to the 5 year old at the handle:

"Yumeha, it's time for breakfast, and you should really stop playing with this stupid stuff."

"It's not stupid, it's cool!"

"It is stupid though."

"It is not! It is really cool!" she insisted.

"Fine fine." He reluctantly sighed, this was not an argument he could win anyway. "Just go get your breakfast now."

She let go of the sword and ran past him. He threw the sword into his room with the rest of his chuunibyou stuff. Maybe he should clean it out. He'll think about that later, turning around and going for breakfast.

* * *

She woke up very grouchy from the little sleep she got that night. After knocking out her downstairs neighbour she was forced to call the Priestess to help cover up the existence of the Otherworld. Who was definitely angry about her having to come out. Not that the Priestess needed sleep, but she still liked it an awful lot. What surprised Rikka more however was the reaction of the Priestess when she saw the boy.

Almost panic-struck she had asked: "Did you take him to the Otherworld with you?"

Confused she had shook her head, normal humans couldn't be taken into the Otherworld without physical contact and it was almost never done.

The Priestess had sighed in relief but then quickly returned to her normal stern expression. She slung the boy over her shoulder and started reprimanding Rikka all the way 'till home. She asked Rikka's motivations for sneaking out, and, of course, didn't listen to the answer. Whenever Rikka could interject in the preaching speech of her sister (oh yeah, did she mention the Priestess was her sister Touka?), she tried to convince her not to lock her away again. Finally budging at the apartment complex, Touka gave her another chance. They split up there, so Touka could take care of the boy, erase his memories and such things, while Rikka would returned to bed. Today was going to be an important day for her after all.

Returning to the present, Rikka scurried for clean underwear and her first ever school uniform in the mess that was her room. She luckily found some and then decided to gather the rest to throw in the laundry. She was running out of clothes and allowance to not wash anymore. She rapidly got dressed and looked at herself in the mirror. Red ribbon, dark blue blazer over a tan coloured sweater and white dress shirt, checkered red skirt and grey stockings that went up to her thighs. Satisfied enough she put on her shoes. These however, she was not satisfied about. Flat brown shoes. She longingly looked at her black army boots before sighing and leaving her room.

Touka had made breakfast and was, surprisingly, happily munching on the food. Rikka sighed again. That could only mean one thing. Her sister was going to play the big sister role.

"Good morning sis."

"Morning Rikka. Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah, I guess…" hesitantly she continued, "How did it go with that boy?"

"He shouldn't remember anything" Touka answered quite harshly, but continued smoothly in her big sister role, "Anyway, with your first day of school and all, I thought I'd warn you. Listen Rikka, you're a very cute girl and there will probably be guys who'll approach you because of this. And they might not always have the right intentions so-"

"Like any of them would ever be able to do anything to me I didn't want." Rikka interrupted while laughing.

"That was going to be my point. Listen, we had to pull quite some strings to get you in this school and if you're going to be punching guys through walls chances are you're not going to be staying there for long."

"Got it sis."

"Also, try to make some friends and again please don't knock anyone out."

"Yeah yeah, could you stop whining now?"

"Rikka, don't be so haughty to me, I'm trying to be of help here."

"I know… sorry."

"Apology accepted, now, get going else you'll miss the train. Oh and don't forget your lunch." As she pointed toward the kitchen counter where a black bento box stood.

Rikka grabbed the box and while walking out the door yelled "Thanks sis!"

She stood at the very end of the platform, waiting for the train. There were a couple of people that wore her school's uniform but judging by the colour of their ribbons and ties they were all her seniors. There was one freshman girl who she had nodded to but the girl had completely ignored her. She was starting to wonder why she had wanted to go to school anyway.

She sighed and looked around again to see if she could find someone to talk to, only to see her neighbour walked onto the platform… in her school's uniform. "Crap!" was her first thought but mere milliseconds afterwards her sister's voice reminded her that he shouldn't remember anything anymore. He was looking around and suddenly noticed her, jumping backward in surprise, he knocked into the other freshman while tripping over his own feet.

Why hadn't he forgotten? Had her sister's spells failed? That couldn't be. She looked again to see if he was still noticing her, but he seemed to have forgotten her completely as he was talking to the girl he had just tripped against. The train arrived too at that moment. She sighed and got on. She wondered why it stung a bit.

* * *

He had hurried to get to the train station on time but thought he had missed the train never the less. He looked around the platform and noticed a couple of his school seniors. He sighed in relief. He took some closer looks to see if there were any freshman and saw a petite girl at the end of the platform. The girl from his dream. The dream that most definitely was a nightmare. He took a step back and tripped over his own feet, bumping into someone and pulling them to the ground too.

"Watch were you walk retard!" was said rather harshly.

He turned around to apologize but the words didn't come out. He was looking at a very pretty girl. A freshman like him, light brown hair with a pink clip in her front bangs, amber coloured eyes, and a tad bit shorter than him.

"I mean.. uh… I'm sorry, are you ok mister?" she said overly sweet.

'Mister? Never mind that! Answer you idiot!' Yuuta thought to himself.

"I'm fine, and I should apologize, I bumped into you after all." He answered finally.

She smiled: "It's okay, I'm fine too."

"I'm Yuuta Togashi, what's your name?"

"Uhm… Nibutani Shinka." The overly sweet voice answered.

"Uhm… Why are you talking in such an overly sweet voice Nibutani-san?" he asked dumbly.

"Oh you're right, I'm sorry." In a more normal tone, but there was still something of about it, like it wasn't hers. He also noticed that she didn't explain anything.

Leaving the issue, he asked: "Do you live in the area Nibutani-san?"

"Yes, but I'm not giving you my address just yet Togashi-kun." She jokingly said, "I'm guessing you live around here too?"

"Yes, I do. Do you mind me asking why you're going to a school so far away?"

"Ah, my… family has some connections in the school that's why. But if you think it's weird, there must be a special reason for you right, Togashi-kun?"

Crap, he dug himself a hole. At that moment the train arrived, giving him some extra time to think and he found an answer that might save him, although it was a lie. He couldn't exactly be honest about his chuunibyou. He chose this school because he knew no one from his middle school went there.

"My ex-girlfriend goes to the local high school and our breakup wasn't exactly pretty, because she had cheated on me and-"

"No need to explain Togashi-kun, I understand the situation. It's never fun to be in the same area as a recent ex-lover." Nibutani smiled.

"Oh do you have experience with that situation then, Nibutani-san?"

"Togashi-kun, that is not something you ask a lady."

"You're right, I guess I should apologize for digging into your private life. So, sor-"

"No need, that's what friends do after all, ask embarrassing stuff about your past."

"We're friends then?"

"Of course, what else would we be, Togashi-kun?"

"I guess you're right…"

Staying calm on the outside, but on the inside he was practically dancing. He hadn't even gotten to school yet and he had already made a friend. And not just anyone, a pretty person like Nibutani-san. But he contained his excitement.

"So Togashi-kun, what are your hobbies?"

Crap, she may not have noticed but that was a pretty loaded question for him.

"The usual stuff. Videogames, anime, manga and so on."

"You're such a geek Togashi-kun, not that I'm one to talk, I spend most of my days reading and blogging on the internet."

"Not what I had expected, to be honest."

"Everyone says that, and they don't want to believe me either when I explain it by saying I wasn't really popular in middle school and didn't have a lot of friends."

"That can't be, such a pretty girl like you?"

"So you think I'm pretty, Togashi-kun?"

"I uh… I… Yes? Unless you mind? I'm sorry, I don't really know what to say now."

'Great going Yuuta, you didn't sound like an idiot at all', he thought to himself.

She chuckled behind her hand: "Don't worry Togashi-kun, I'm just teasing you."

He sighed in relief.

Not long after that they arrived at their end station and walked the short end to school.

"See you soon, Togashi-kun" Nibutani said as they walked through the entrance.

"Wait! Where are you going?"

"A girl doesn't give away all her secrets when she just met a guy, you know. You'll find out soon enough!" she said while walking away.

He shrugged and walked to the gym where the opening ceremony was held. When the freshman representative was called Nibutani walked onto the stage. She smiled at him when she saw him. This was her big secret? He grinned. He always expected the worst.

* * *

Finally, that boring entrance ceremony was over. That haughty girl from the train station had been the freshman representative. No wonder she had looked like she stood above the rest back at the train station. She was making her way to the class room. She walked through the door to see, of course, the haughty girl standing against the window sill chatting with some girls. So most naturally, that guy was going to be in her class too.

And yes, there he was. Of course. She sighed. He was chatting with the guy behind him so he didn't see her and she quickly sat down. This couldn't be a coincidence anymore. First last night, then this morning and now he's in the same class as her? She got very irritated and started tapping her foot. Some girl next to her turned towards her but when she saw the thundercloud on the face of her neighbour quickly decided to leave her be.

From the corner of her eye she saw the haughty girl wave to the back of the class and turning in her seat she saw the boy wave back. Okay, That Is IT. She was going to get answers, and she was going to get them now. She got up and walked toward his desk.

"Who are you?" she asked in a harsh tone.

The guy behind him said: "Oh man, Yuuta, another one? You're so lucky."

"Shut up Isshiki." The boy answered "I'm Yuuta Togashi, and who might you be?" he asked her in a hard tone of voice, staring her straight in the eye.

"I'm Rikka Takanashi." She answered as her headache returned.

"Ok, Takanashi-san, what is it that you need from me?"

"You make my head hurt and I want to know why."

"I have no clue, so leave me be, will you?"

"Come on dude, she's super cute and practically confessing to you!"

"Shut up Isshiki."

At that point she noticed the whole class was staring at her, including their homeroom teacher who had just walked in. But because of the worsening headache she couldn't care less. There were no visions this time but the headache was way worse. Paralysingly so.

"I'm not leaving until I have an answ- Ahh AH" , she cringed in pain.

The home room teacher finally awoke: "Someone take her to the infirmary."

The whole class was staring at Yuuta.

"Me? Seriously? Fine."

He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her out the classroom and toward the infirmary.

"Damnit, why do I always get stuck with weirdo's. I changed, I don't deserve being pulled back." he muttered. "Couldn't you have just left me alone?" he eventually asked.

"No." but that was all she could say.

"To hell with all this." He said as they arrived at the infirmary.

He dumped her on one of the beds and went looking for the nurse. The headache lessened now he wasn't so close anymore. A minute later he returned.

"The nurse is going out for a bit but she told me to give you these." He threw her a package of aspirins. He filled a glass with water, gave it to her and then sat in the chair opposite to her bed.

"Now what is it that you want from me?"

"I think someone from my previous lives knew you." She muttered.

At that point he realised. She was a chuunibyou patient.

"Get that chuunibyou bullshit away from me. I am cured, leave me be. I want a new life, not get sucked into that crap again."

"This isn't some fantasy you idiot, I am the wielder of the Wicked Eye. Doesn't that ring any bells?"

"God, shut it. I wouldn't care if you were the daughter of some king in your fantasies. It doesn't ring any bells. Fuck!"

"Fine, I'll prove it to you." As she removed her eye patch. "Now tremble before the Wicked Eye."

He stared at her like she was retarded. "You wear a colour contact? Jeez, even I never went that far."

That dense motherfucker. Fine, she'll proof it by shifting into the otherworld. Disappearing in front of him should prove her point. "Vanishment this world."

She stood in a green lush field. Oddly enough there didn't seem to be any spirits around. Even odder, she was still looking at him. Why was he here? Only ability users or people who owned spirit weapons in a five meter radius from the one who crosses should be pulled along. He should be neither! Her headache became worse. Suddenly she flew, Smashing head first into a pine tree a couple of meters away. A white wolf was transforming into a human and stepping toward the boy. "Why hadn't she sensed it?" that was her last thought before fainting.

* * *

He looked around in confusion. Where was he? He was suddenly standing in a lush green field with pine trees every couple of meters and some bushes all around. He looked at her in confusion only to see her staring back the same way. And then suddenly disappearing. He heard a heavy thud and saw her lying by a pine tree. She looked okay. At the very least it didn't look like she was bleeding.

He faced forward to see a man. Pointy chin, ridiculously white skin, red eyes, White fur all over his back and long silver hair. He wasn't wearing anything but brown leather pants and a scabbard from which he was pulling a single-edged curved blade much like a boken.

"I'm obviously hallucinating!"

"Young ability users. A perfect prey for me!" The man jumped forward, slashing downward with his sword.

Yuuta jumped backwards, breaking his fall with a roll, surprising himself by narrowly dodging the sword. His cheek was cut and bleeding though. He touched the wound and looked at his own blood.

"What the hell is this?!" he yelled. This couldn't be an hallucination anymore.

"The Otherworld, worthless human." Another voice said, coming from the same man though. He had two voices?!

Yuuta grabbed a branch that was lying around and stood up. He knew he had no chance to win. But he wasn't planning to lose either.

"Hahaha! That branch won't protect you human!" both voices said simultaneously.

They rushed him with an angled strike coming from the top right. He sidestepped, ducking under the blade and slammed the branch against the naked side of the man.

"Haha! Did a fly just land on me?" The man laughed, and he side swung his sword.

Yuuta was still of balance because of his strike, so he couldn't dodge. He had one choice or rather hope. He quickly turned toward the blade, held the branch vertical and put his other hand at the top to increase its stopping power. He hoped. He clenched his eyes and felt a force pushing down on his arms.

"What!?" The first voice yelled, with the second voice following: "How could a branch stop our sword?"

Yuuta opened his eyes, and looked in confusion to the branch. The side that had stopped the blade was on fire. Black fire? The flames didn't feel hot to the hand that was gripping the branch.

The man had recovered from his confusion and came toward him once more with a diagonal strike. Yuuta deflected and let the sword slide down leftward, creating an opening. He smoothly followed up with his own diagonal strike from the top right, which the man dodged. He saw the man grit his teeth. Yuuta decided. He'd figure out what the flames were, why he knew how to swordplay and all of that later. First, he'll survive.

"Ready for the real fight now?" he asked the man.

"Don't get cocky now human." They clashed.

The man stepped forward side swiping.

Yuuta blocked the strike and forced the blade to the ground. He stepped in closer and jolted his elbow upward, hitting the man on his nose, sending him stumbling backward.

Whilst stumbling backward the man slashed upward, preventing Yuuta to follow up and delivering another cut on the boys cheek.

They retreated, and retook their positions. The man was bleeding quite heavily from his nose, which looked broken. Yuuta could taste his own blood on his lips that had been steadily running down his cheeks. Nevertheless he grinned. He was enjoying himself, this was exactly like how he had dreamed to be not even a year ago.

They rushed each other again, Yuuta taking initiative this time. He stabbed toward the abdomen of the man.

The man easily deflected, that was however part of Yuuta's plan, using the force of the deflection he spun around completely, dropped on one knee and swung at the man's front leg.

The man pulled his leg back, positioning himself to stab his sword between Yuuta's shoulder and neck.

Yuuta rolled sideways, got up quickly and hastily made a downward swing toward the man's now unprotected neck.

The man stole his trick, lowering himself on one knee, raising his sword and supporting it with his other hand. They struggled for a while until the man pushed the branch to the side making Yuuta stumble forward and past him.

Yuuta quickly turned around and took his position again. The man stood in position three meters away from him.

"You're not bad human, you've surprised me quite a bit actually."

"Same to you, and believe me you're not the only surprised one."

Now that that was said, they started approaching each other carefully. When they were only a meter apart they started exchanging strikes.

The man stabbed toward his chest, Yuuta knocks the sword sideways and steps in for a stab himself.

The man side steps, lunging at Yuuta's unprotected back. Yuuta rolls forward to dodge.

Spinning around while getting up, he side slashed, knocking away the sword that tried to follow up.

The man was too close to attack with the branch, so Yuuta made a fist and tried to land an uppercut. The man rolled with the punch negating most of it and stretched his legs whilst falling backward, kicking Yuuta in the chest.

With the air slammed out of his lunges Yuuta flew backward and rolled to break his fall. He ended on his feet and rushed forward with an overhead slash. Narrowly blocked by the man still getting up, Yuuta didn't let the clash last by smashing his knee upward into the man's nose (again!). The man slammed against the ground.

He however quickly side swiped his legs knocking Yuuta to the ground as well. Both rolled away from the other before getting up again.

The man could not breath through his nose anymore and was heavily breathing through his mouth. Yuuta tasted blood in his mouth and was pretty sure he broke at least one rib.

They were both struggling now.

They rushed once more. Yuuta aimed a stab at the man's heart, which got deflected. Yuuta kept his momentum however and bashed his shoulder into the man's ribcage. With the air knocked out of him, the man slammed into the ground. And kept lying there.

Yuuta stumbled toward him. A big blue bruise was showing on the man's chest, probably had a broken rib too. Yuuta kicked the sword out of the man's hand and placed the burning branch at the place where his heart should be.

"Wait, wait!"

Yuuta stopped.

"Keep my sword, it deserves a new master. Then I'll be able to find you when I've been reborn as well and we can play a round 2. 't was a good fight, human."

"It was. My name is Yuuta Togashi, will you give me the honour of knowing yours?"

"My name is Heliath." The man said before coughing up blood.

"Goodbye Heliath. I shall remember that name." and he pierced the man's chest. A green light shot up to the sky.

He grabbed the scabbard and picked up the sword. The flames on the branch extinguished. He looked around for the girl and saw that she was only lying a couple of meters away. Holding the scabbard in one hand and using the branch as support in the other one he practically limped there. He fell on his knees and shook her shoulders, she didn't wake up. He called her name, she didn't wake up. And then he poked her. She shot upright and looked at him angrily. She then saw the corpse behind him and looked at him again but this time in disbelief.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

She stared at him. He had cuts on his cheek and blood was trickling out his mouth. And he asked her that question?

Before she could answer however, he fainted and fell over sideways. He was still breathing, but scared to touch him because of his wounds, she let him sleep there. She got up to check the corpse. An angelic animal spirit. Most likely only Private class, maybe Sub-lieutenant class. Still, too much too handle for a normal human. She looked at the sleeping boy.

What exactly was he?

**Author afterword**

Well, another chapter in which Yuuta faints at the end. I'll try not to make a habit out of that. Conversations are difficult. I was never really satisfied about them and rewrote some a couple of times but they're really difficult for me to write. Practice makes perfect (sense). I'm going to try and keep up a shedule for uploading, a chapter a fortnight is what I'm aiming for, as that gives me enough time to write, read, and rewrite several times. Anyway, what do you think of the story as of yet? Please leave a review with your thoughts, I'd like to hear them.

And as always, thanks for reading.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"Don't forget, you're stronger than any of them…"

The whisper lingered as he clawed his way out of the darkness of his own consciousness. Yuuta opened his eyes and sat upright as memories flooded his mind. He remembered the fight, the girl, the forest and all the rest. Panic started welling up but he pushed it down. With calculated, slow movements he checked his body for wounds.

There were none. That's impossible! He had clearly felt the cuts on his cheeks, the bruises on the rest of his body, his broken rib. He patted his chest multiple times. It didn't hurt.

"We're still in the OtherWorld. Your mana heals wounds inflicted here. You had a punctured longue 'cause of your broken rib. If this had been the real world you would have been in the hospital, and they would not be sure if you could've have survived that."

The girl stood a bit further next to the corpse he created. He… Created? He killed… Yuuta had to strain himself not to puke.

"Don't worry. You haven't actually killed them."

"Huh?"

"These creatures don't actually die. I'll explain in a minute. First, how did you beat the angel?"

"Angel?"

"This thing." as she pointed to the corpse.

"I… don't know… I…"

How did he do it. His memories were a bit fuzzy. Like there was a filter over it. Like they weren't his. He tried to push through the filter and succeeded. The memories came back very clearly now and he was shocked. What did he do? He acted really out of character just then. Normally he would have ran. Who in their right mind would fight against that man. He remembered talking to the person at the end of the fight. Why did he wait when he was called on? The conversation didn't make sense either. 'Reborn'?

He then noticed that the girl, Rikka was it?, was staring at him.

"Uhm… I… Uh… grabbed that branch there, and then I fought him with it. But the branch was on fire, black flames, does that make sense?"

"Black flames? That doesn't make sense. There's never been a black manifestation as far as I know."

"Manifestation? What the hell are you talking about!?" Yuuta said, as he felt his anger return.

"Calm down. Fine, fine, I'll explain." Rikka answered annoyed.

"I'm listening, start talking." He coldly said. He was starting to get tired of this nonsense of hers.

She looked at him angrily but there was something in his expression that didn't look like it was his. Something twisted, something that made her want to obey. She shook of the feeling and started her explanation.

"First of all, we are currently in an alternate dimension that mirrors ours. Like the other side of a coin. In this world 3 'types' of creatures naturally exist. Demons, Roamers and Angels.

All these creatures were originally roamers, or with one soul, these usually fight between each other and never try to attack us or cross over in our world. When they fight between each other, the winner will steal the soul of the loser.

Those left soulless become demons. Weaker than both others, they grow in strength by fighting and training among each other. They also unite in Flocks and then Armies to have a stronger position against their enemies, us and angels. We use demon army ranks to classify all creatures by comparing their strengths. That angel you beat was a new-born and still rather weak so he was probably Sub-lieutenant rank. Back to demons, when they die their objective knowledge retains and waits to be reinhabited by a soul from a defeated angel.

Those with two souls become angels, haughty pricks that think they're better than anyone. One of the souls reconstructs themselves as the body and the other becomes the primary mind, that makes decisions. That's why they have 2 voices. While they hardly fight between each other, they fight demons, to consume their bodies and increase their strength. When they die, the primary mind will search a demon's knowledge and be reborn as a new roamer. The body decomposes and the soul links with the element in which it died also creating a new roamer."

His brain readily accepted the knowledge. It was like he had already known.

"Why do demons and angels want to cross over into our dimension?"

"Simply put, the air."

"The air?"

"Yes, this world's air is void of mana, regenerating mana here is purely done from your body's energy and tires you out. Our worlds air is filled with mana, and easily converted in our own. Humans don't grow from consuming mana, 'they' do."

"Is there anything else I need to know?"

"Uhm… oh yeah. While it's comparably easy to let your mana flow outside your body here, it's immensely difficult in our world. When you wish to make use of your mana it is still advised to make a small cut or something that bleeds. Mana uses the same system as blood to flow through your body, thus by letting a wound bleed you're also releasing mana constantly."

Huh… so if I do this, Yuuta thought as he bit his index finger. He then smudged some of his blood on the boken. She kept an eye on him and wondered what he was trying. And then the sword vanished.

"How do you know how to seal weapons? Can you resummon it too?"

"Sure", the sword reappeared this time around his waist where it's supposed to be.

"Don't ask me how I do it though… It just felt natural."

She looked confused but continued nevertheless.

"Now about those 'flames' of yours. They weren't actually flames. They were an outward manifestation of your mana. The colour however, I do not have an explanation for. The manifestation of mana takes the colour of the element or elements that you align with. Mine for example is a dark purple, as before I got the stigma, I was most aligned with the sun, sky and fire, giving me a bright purple. When the Wicked Eye increased my strength to handle all elements however the colour darkened."

His brain went in overdrive. That could only mean…

"That means you are aligned with everything, and thus also nothing."

He was void. Unaligned. He didn't belong anywhere. He stood in the middle.

"You probably just couldn't encompass what happened and didn't register the colour correctly though. Like I said, as far as I know, there hasn't been anyone with black mana, ever."

"What so I'm dumb?"

"No… maybe? How would I know I met you not even an hour ago!"

"Well yeah but… wait, how much time passed since we left the classroom?"

"About 30 minutes? Why?"

"Great, who knows what the fuck the rest of our class will think we did!"

"Why are you so worried about what others think?"

"Because I have a past with being a social outcast, and I don't want my high school life to mirror my middle school one."

"I'm a social outcast too, in fact it's the first time I go to school today!"

"Exactly! You don't know what feeling alone is like. You can't feel lonely when there's no one around!"

"What kind of logic is that?!"

"Doesn't matter, get me outta here."

"Why do you need my help mister natural?"

"Oh fucking ladidoo. Fine, I'll do it myself."

Yuuta closes his eyes.

"Yeah, you're not going to succeed, you know that right?"

"Vanishment this world."

And they were back.

"What?"

"Now, I'm going back to class. Don't follow me, come in like 15 minutes or something, got it?"

He turned around and left. She ran after him.

"Wait. Wait! Wait DAMNIT!"

"What is it?" throwing her a cold stare.

"I think you might be important. Either way, you're going to need help or training else your mana will go out of control."

"Ha, funny that. And you're going to be the one to train me? I beat the thing that knocked you unconscious so…"

"First of all, that was a surprise attack that shouldn't have happened, I should've sensed him. Second of all I think that it was because of you."

"What? Was I so strong that you couldn't sense anything else like in manga?"

"No, 'cause after I woke up I could feel everything again."

"Then it's probably because you're stupid. I'll train myself, I don't need you. I am mister natural after all, aren't you?"

She gritted her teeth. "That won't always work idiot!"

"When it stops working, I'll be sure to knock on your door first."

"You don't get it, you might hurt friends and family."

They had arrived at the classroom but Yuuta halted in his tracks. "What?"

"Your mana running rampant my hurt your family."

"How?"

"Several ways, the most important one being that large amounts of mana may attract 'them'."

A slight pause.

"I'll think about it."

"Sure, but don't say I didn't warn you."

He opened the door and walked back to his seat after apologizing to their homeroom teacher, Nanase Tsukumo, and she followed suit.

"Welcome back Togashi-san and Takanashi-san. We were just picking the class representatives. Nibutani-san was already chosen."

"Well, I wouldn't mind being the second one, sensei." Yuuta proclaimed.

"Very well. Any objections from the class?"

No reaction except some grumbling from the guys.

"And you, Nibutani-san?"

"No, I would gladly have him by my side."

"Goddamnit Yuuta." Isshiki silently proclaimed, while the rest of the guys looked rather stingy.

"Would you rather do it, Isshiki?"

"No way man, you're probably the only guy who could keep a cool head around her… you're not-"

"No way, don't even finish that sentence. Besides, you've probably haven't even seen me talk to her yet. Believe me, everything I say makes me sound like an idiot."

"Can't be that bad, she digs you, at the very least I think, now get your ass up there."

"Yeah 'cause you're an expert, aren't you Isshiki." Yuuta said as he stood up leaving Isshiki behind grumbling.

Yuuta took his place next to Nibutani.

"Give your class representatives a round of applause now."

A polite applause rose up.

"Now, I'll see you two after school, because you're both new to this I believe?"

"Yes, sensei." They answered simultaneously.

* * *

The rest of the day passed without further incidents. At the end of school.

"Togashi-kun, are you ready to go to the faculty office?

"Sure, Nibutani-san. See you tomorrow Isshiki."

"Later Yuuta."

They left the classroom.

"So… how are you enjoying your high school life so far Nibutani-san?"

"I don't really feel any different compared to middle school. But you have been enjoying yourself quite a lot haven't you?"

"I guess, Isshiki is not a bad guy. You'd probably like him too, although he's super scared of you."

"Scared? Sounds… fun. Well introduce me to him tomorrow. But that was not what I had in mind when I said you were enjoying yourself."

"What did you mean then?"

"Your little… 'escapade' with Takanashi-san?"

"Nothing happened!"

"Oh really? You guys were gone for quite a while, and your clothes look pretty dishevelled to me."

"Nothing happened. The nurse had to go out so I had to watch her while she rested after taking some meds. There's nothing between me and her. Absolutely nothing."

"Okay okay, got it. That's… good." She said with a smile.

"Good? Why?" he suspiciously asked.

"No reason. At least as far as I will tell you."

"You're teasing me again aren't you?"

"Maybe. Maybe not."

To Yuuta's regret the conversation was cut short because they had reached the faculty room.

"We're here Sensei."

"Ah, my new class representatives. How was the first day of high school?"

"Great, but exhausting." Nibutani answered.

"Well I'll keep the explanation short then. If you have any questions you can always come ask anyway."

They left 15 minutes later.

"For a short explanation, that was pretty long." Nibuntani said.

"Yeah, I guess. Say Nibutani-san, would you like to go grab a bite to eat before taking the trains back?" Yuuta asked with all the courage he could muster.

"Sure! Is what I would say, but I can't. I need to be somewhere, family business."

"Oh.. okay." The answer came as his shoulders slumped.

"Don't act so dejected. Let's meet up at the station tomorrow morning for breakfast?"

"Yes, I'd like that! I mean, sure. Whatever."

"Jeez Yuuta-kun, shouldn't you be an actor or something?" she said while bursting into laughter.

"Yuuta-kun?"

"Ah yes, sorry it felt natural I guess. Do you mind?"

"No, no, but we just met today. First name basis is a little fast… right?"

"Who said you could use my first name, Yuuta-kun?"

"I… I can't?"

"You can call me whatever you like." She winked and turned around, leaving a baffled Yuuta behind.

"Are you sure?" he finally yelled after her fading figure.

"Just call me by my first name, you oaf." She said while glancing over her shoulder. She looked a bit embarrassed.

"Okay, see you tomorrow then, Shinka-san." Yuuta yelled.

She merely responded by waving over her shoulder.

* * *

She stood in front of a rather large crowd of middle aged men and women, in the middle of a dimly lit semi-circular room. Although she wore a thight business suit like outfit, she felt very out of place and uncomfortable. So uncomfortable that she didn't even try to be polite against them.

"Alright geezers, I'm here to report on the devil brat."

"Nibutani Shinka-san, I presume. I had expected more of your demeanour." A deep voice from the shadows said.

"Well, I'm sorry. I can also not give the report, if that's what you'd like?"

"Nibutani-san, because of your position you have certain… benefits. But that attitude is not something we appreciate." A female voice responded.

"Now, state your report." A voice, like nails scratching a school board, said.

*cough* "Fine. Here is my report on Takanashi Rikka.

She seems normal enough. As you are all aware of her stigma is hidden behind an eye patch. Because of her lack of social skills, she has little to no contact with the rest of the class. The sole person I saw her communicate with is a boy with the name "Togashi Yuuta", who I befriended as well. Their relationship worries me however."

"We don't have time for the love-sickness of a teenager." A silky voice said.

"That was not my point. She stated that he made her head hurt, which can be a result of recalling sealed memories. She collapsed and he took her to the nurses office. Where I suspect she crossed over and took him with her as I couldn't sense her anymore for a while. I couldn't get out of class on time to follow them, however when she returned, I could sense a second presence, small and weak, but it was there and traced it back to him.

I suspect he may be one of that… 'thing's servants as well, and the headaches were caused by her remembering his predecessors. Either way he needs to be trained and maybe even controlled. I plan on inviting him to that club and find out more about him."

"This might be a problem." The scratchy voice said.

"No no, unless he is 'it' himself we need not worry. She can tie any of his servants easily. Remember, she was the one who eventually beat him as well." The silky voice said.

"As far as we know. They never tell us enough." A second woman said.

"Very well. Nibutani-san, you may proceed with your plans. We will expect a bi-weekly written report on the boy, and if anything out of the ordinary happens, report it to your master immediately. You are dismissed." The scratchy voice said.

She bowed and walked away. As she left the room she could hear a discussion flare up. She doesn't care however. She was thinking about him.

What would he think when he knew who she really was.

Would he still want to call her 'Shinka-san'?

A heavy sigh escaped from her mouth. Maybe love-sickness had something to do with it after all. But that didn't matter. She was going to be the strongest.

Then she could cut her ties with this whole thing that hung over her since her birth.

Then she could finally have that normal life that she always wanted.

Would she want to however, after dragging him down into this?

No no, she wasn't to blame. It was that girls fault.

She could always take him with her when she escaped.

Why did she care about it so much though? She only met him today. Guilt?

Probably.

Another sigh.

I'll put him out of my head for now. I'll face the problems when I get there.

Though I wonder.

Would he be thinking of me too?

**Author Afterword**

Well... this was a bitch to write. It was a very expositional chapter and I've been postponing writing this for as long as I could to be honest. I thought about trying to weave it throughout the other chapters but that might have broken the flow of the story too much. Also for those wondering, although the only genre I describe my story as is supernatural, most of the other genres are also there. The heavy romantic undertone in this chapter is an example of that. Now, this chapter also had some reveals on the background politics of my story. A warning, I will be writing in original characters at some point, because I simply have to. Three chapters into this story I think I underestimated what writing a story actually is. The ideas I have, and ideas I get while writing are so much more than what is already written. It's very daunting how what is written is only a fraction of it. It's like building the Tower of London brick for brick by yourself. Anyway. Please leave a review with your thoughts.

And as always, thank you for reading.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Why are you here?"

His mood was already ruined. He had hardly slept in anticipation to the morning. But then this happens.

"I asked you something. Why the fuck are you here?"

She threw him a sideway glance. "To protect you."

"No. No! Leave. Now. Don't follow me. I'll see you in school. I have to be somewhere."

"I can't do that."

"Haha, yes, you can. Here, let me help you." He grabbed her by her shoulders, turned her toward the stairs and gave her a push so she stumbled up a step.

"Now simply follow those stairs, until you get to your apartment and wait there 'till it's time to get to school."

"You're not thinking I'm going to listen right?"

"You're not thinking I'll let you invade every second of my life are you?"

"And you're going to stop me?"

"Well… I guess?"

"You won't even be able to touch me if I didn't permit you to."

"Shut up! I don't need to hear that from a little girl like you."

*THUMP* A fist dug its way into Yuuta's stomach.

"I dislike when people call me little."

"I dis… like being… spied on." Yuuta answered trying to regain his breath.

A heavy sigh. "Fine." And with that she walked away.

"Watch out for that woman though. She's more like me than you'd like."

"Wait, what do you mean by that?"

"You'll find out… eventually."

"Are you calling me stupid again?"

"I am going to now, but that wasn't the point I was trying to make. Idiot." And she left.

A sigh of relief.

He started scratching his confidence and courage back together that had shattered because of her appearance. He already was sleep deprived, he couldn't go half-assed about this… meeting. Date. Appointment. I hope it's a date. Does she think as it's a date?

Probably not.

He slapped himself in the face.

"Man up Yuuta, you goddamn wuss." He said to himself.

He started walking downstairs and checked his phone for the time. He had some left. Should I go buy something for her? I don't know what she likes though. Maybe flowers? That might be a bit too much. I'll just go and see, I guess.

* * *

She was sitting on a bench in front of the station. He's late, she thought, while absentmindedly kicking her legs. Suddenly there was some form of commotion at the other end of the square. Squinting her eyes she could see him push through the people in the rather crowded square.

She got up and brushed the dust of her skirt. He had finally reached and looked positively miserable.

"Sorry, I'm late." Late, yet he hadn't found an appropriate gift so he doesn't even have an excuse.

"Doesn't matter, but now I have a reason to force you to pay for me though."

"Uhm… ok."

"I know this café just around the corner. Ridiculously expensive. But pretty good food." She said with an evil grin.

"Ridiculously expensive and pretty good don't trade off that well, don't you think?" He tried to bail out.

"I think so too, but you're paying, so I do not care." She started tugging at his arm. "You're not bailing out on me after making me wait for so long."

"I was only 10 minutes late, that's not that long."

"I was half an hour early."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't want to be late, Yuuta-kun."

"You're really holding that against me are you?"

"Of course. You should never ever make a girl wait."

"You were half an hour early, how was I supposed to know? According to the internet, girls take a lot of time to get ready so I thought I had some room to flex in."

"They do, but I had little sleep and was up early."

"I still say that I couldn't possibly have known."

"Well… I guess that's true somewhat… like five percent."

"Five percent…?"

They arrived at the café and their conversations was temporarily halted to greet the waitress. She took them to a table and gave them a menu. To Yuuta's relief the prices were rather reasonable.

"I wasn't going to pluck you, you know." She said putting down her menu.

"I didn't think so either, but… you never know." He said in an embarrassed tone.

"For now, let's do this." She held out her phone.

"Do what?"

"Exchange emails you doofus."

"Ah right… uhm… can we not right now?"

"Yeah so you can make me wait another half hour next time?"

"But… I… uh…"

"Can I take your order?"

Yuuta sighed out of relief, earning him a crippling glance from Shinka. They quickly ordered.

"Now, give it to me."

"Huh? Give what?" acting as if his nose bled.

"You didn't think such a little interjection would make me forget what I was doing, right? I'm pretty sure we already established who the dumber one was here."

"That's mean Shinka-san. Fine fine, I'll give it to you."

He extended his phone and they exchanged addresses. However,

"Divine exseed freya magna?" (Yuuta's mail address is divine-exseed-freya-magna .jp)

He acted like he didn't hear it.

"That sounds like a lame special move name."

Still no reaction, although he started sweating profusely.

"DIVINE EXSEED FREYA MAGNA." She yelled, scaring the waitress who was bringing their food and pulled the owner out of his day dreams.

"Please don't yell it anymore! Please!"

"Why do you have such a lame mail address, Yuuta-kun?"

"Uhm…"

"Yes?"

"I thought it sounded cool…"

"Oh so you made this address when you were a three-year-old?"

"Not exactly… more like three years ago…"

"Whaa… Yuuta-kun really is a geek."

"I'll change it, give me a second!"

"No no, keep it. It's refreshing to know someone who's so open about themselves."

"That's because I suck at lying."

"That's not necessarily bad."

"It's not good either!"

"At the very least it means you can be trusted, in contrast to some other people…" she murmured the last part.

"What?"

"Nothing. Let's start eating before the food's cold." Her expression rather solemn.

He decided to drop the subject. He grinned sheepishly and dug in after yelling "Itadakimasu!" in a childlike tone, which yielded a small snicker from the girl.

"You're a great guy Yuuta."

"How would you know? We met each other yesterday."

"So you don't think so?"

"What I'm saying is, that people act."

"Huh?"

"Well, you act differently around other people. We only recently met, so we're still looking for what personality to assume around each other."

"So you're not the real you?"

"Well, I'd like to think I'm an honest person, but I keep secrets and act around you, to get you to be my friend. Just like how you act around me. I'm sure the Shinka I'll know in a month is different from the one I'm here with now."

"So who are you underneath the mask then? I'm curious now."

"I guess you'll have to find out."

"And how would I do that?"

"Being my friend for a start."

"And if I don't want to be friends?"

"Then you'll know me as a very cynical and sarcastic person."

"Isn't that who you really are?"

"Only around people I dislike."

"Hmm… you're quite wise Yuuta-kun."

"You spend a lot of time on the internet as well, don't you? I'm sure you knew this already."

"So… would you still want to be my friend if I didn't act?"

"Depends on whether I like being around you then or not."

"We'll see then?"

"That's kinda the point."

"Whaa… Yuuta made me feel dumb. Now I feel bad."

"Oi, no reason to be that cruel Shinka-san. I ranked pretty high on the entrance exams as well."

"But not first."

"Who cares?"

"I do. That's why I was number one."

"Are you always such a show off?"

"Only around people I want to impress."

"After yesterday, you'll need a whole lot more than that to impress me." He sighed.

"See! You did do something to Takanashi-san!"

"I did not! Why is that even you're conclusion!?"

"What else could have been more impressive than having breakfast with me?"

"Magic?" he answered grinning foolishly, it wasn't that far of the truth anyway.

"You're kidding, right?"

"Yeah. I just meant overall, yesterday was very surreal for me."

"How so?"

"So much changed for me, but I don't feel any different."

"Before you adjust to these changes, there'll be new ones I'm sure. I have this feeling you're very good at getting yourself into messes."

"Aren't we funny? Hope you have a good time watching it from the side lines."

"Naturally."

He glared at her while she was laughing loudly. They had some small talk while quickly finishing their meal as it was almost time to go. Leaving the café they were in for a surprise though.

"Takanashi-san?" Nibutani asked.

"Oh great. I thought I said not to follow me!" Yuuta said.

"I didn't. I just got here."

"Then why are there leaves and branches stuck in your hair and an obvious hole in the hedge at the window where we sat?"

"Magic?"

"Goddamnit." He chopped her forehead.

"That hurt." she said blandly.

"No it didn't you liar."

"Yuuta-kun, just let it go. Takanashi-san, will you join us?" Nibutani said.

"I guess I will."

And that was the start of the most awkward trip to school for Yuuta ever.

He was flanked by both girls, who were glaring at each other the whole trip. He just couldn't get it. This was something he dreamt of for a long time, and yet it felt more like a nightmare.

"Couldn't they just get along?" he begged the gods when they finally arrived at school.

And on cue.

"Nibutani-san, I don't appreciate you being so close to Togashi-kun."

"Jealous Takanashi-san? Don't worry, Yuuta is just my friend."

Yuuta started looking positively sour, until she followed up,

"At the very least, for the moment still."

"I don't have any interest in him."

"That's why you followed him when we met up, and dragged him out of the class yesterday?"

"That's… secret."

"That's not suspicious at all. But aren't you being a bit cruel to him? This must be really awkward for him."

"Like I care!"

"If you say so, then leave us be."

"I can't."

"You don't want to is what you're saying, right?"

"Class is starting, let's just go." Yuuta interjected, trying to break the girls up.

"Fine!" They both answered.

With a deep sigh Yuuta followed the girls inside.

* * *

"Yo Yuuta, see you got yourself some company this morning."

"Thank god I escaped from that."

"Escaped? That must have been a dream come true."

"It was not, Isshiki. Well… the first part was but when Takanashi-san joined, things went bad quickly."

"Oh? Do tell."

And Yuuta told his story.

"HahahaHAha!" He burst into laughter.

"It's not funny!"

"But it is! You're probably the only guy here that wouldn't be happy if Nibutani and Takanashi were fighting over them."

"It sounds fun in theory, but in reality it isn't. Girls are fucking scary, it seemed they'd try to kill each other at any moment."

"Yeah, that would be regretful. They're too good looking to lose. How 'bout this, you take Takanashi and I'll comfort Nibutani."

"Yeah, that's not going to happen. Remember, you can't even talk to her without stuttering."

"Shut up!"

"Which reminds me, Nibutani wanted to meet you, want to join us for lunch?"

"Uhhh… sure man. I'll try."

"Don't worry, you won't be third wheeling. I have this feeling we're going to be a car anyway." Yuuta said whilst pointing over his shoulder to Rikka.

"Yeah, yeah. Have your laughs. Just you wait, by the end of this year, I will be dating the most beautiful senpai we have!"

"Yeah right, have you actually talked with anyone but the guys?"

"I did."

"Our teachers don't count either."

"I didn't."

"Wow… never thought I'd be a cooler kid than… well anyone."

"You're still a geek though. What was your address again? Divine Exc-"

"Ok got it, you can shut your face now."

"Oh, did I hurt your widdle feelings?"

"Don't get condescending. Else you can forget about lunch."

"Fine fine. You ass."

"Oh shut it, I know I'm amazing. Class is starting anyway."

* * *

"Shinka-san, Isshiki Makoto. Isshiki Makoto, Nibutani Shinka."

"Ni- Nice to mee- meet you, Nibutani-san."

"Nervous Isshiki-kun?"

"Very much so."

"Why?"

"Because you're… wa- wait, that's a trap right?"

"Yeah, get used to it, she does that a lot." Yuuta interjected. Nibutani started giggling.

"You know me well, Yuuta-kun."

"I'm just happy you have one more victim right now."

"Wait wait wait! You guys are on first name basis?"

"Yeah?" "Yes?" they simultaneously answered.

"Are you guys like… dat- dating?"

"I don't think so? Did this morning count as a date, Yuuta-kun?"

"We were disturbed by Takanashi-san so I don't think so, speaking of which… Takanashi-san? Would you like to join us instead of only listening in?"

"I wasn't listening in! But thanks for the invitation."

"Oh right. You guys had breakfast together this morning." Isshiki said while Rikka joined them.

"Yeah, but nothing happened between them." Rikka said.

"See! You were spying on us!" Yuuta exclaimed.

"I was not. I just happened to notice it."

"Yeah, like you just happened to be at a café at the exact opposite from the way to the station from our apartment complex."

"Wait, Yuuta-kun, you and Takanashi-san are neighbours?"

"Yeah, she lives above me."

"That's an unfair advantage."

"They really are fighting over you it seems." Ishikki whispered to Yuuta.

"Yeah, but at least one of them has an outside motive."

"What do you mean?"

"One of them is insane. Let's just keep it at that."

"Why are you so secretive? You don't talk about your past either."

"Reasons, you wouldn't care, believe me."

"We're friends, I care… but I do feel inclined to say no homo."

"Thanks?"

"What do you think Yuuta-kun?" their secret conversation interrupted by Nibutani.

"Think of what?"

"Weren't you listening?"

"No?"

"Never mind then. Jeez, you should really listen to me when I speak, since I'm so much smarter than you."

"Are you trying to suffocate us with that massively inflated ego?"

"If I said yes, what would you do?"

"Search for a needle."

Glare. Two glares?

"Takanashi-san, why are you glaring at me?"

"I have my reasons."

"Mind telling me them?"

"I would mind."

"Could you stop?"

"Sure." And she got up and left.

"Uh… Ok then? Shinka can you maybe explain?"

"If you wish to know you'll have to ask her. But later she might kill you if you go now."

Sighing, Yuuta turned to Isshiki and sarcasticly asked: "Happy you joined us for lunch?" making the others laugh.

"Anyway, let's eat."

* * *

The three demons she had just fought were disintegrating. She came here to get rid of her anger, and those three were the victims she found. Their bodies completely mutilated, her angry had not disappeared.

"Damn him to hell. Why doesn't he listen!"

She ran off, searching for more victims, more blood to spill. His powers had grown already. He hadn't done any training, but he had grown. It didn't make sense.

If this continues he really will end up hurting someone. But he doesn't listen. He's too damn busy trying to get into that girls pants.

Ah well… if he grows strong enough, and he ends up hurting someone, she'll at least have an excuse for turning him into a corpse.

His existence concerned her though. Someone that grows stronger without needing to train. Someone she knows from before this life. Those things aren't the greatest combination. They usually indicate exiled users. Or family members of those users.

The words from her sister too on that night. The panicked questioning whether she had taken him with her top the Otherworld. There was something special about that boy. She feared she might have set something terrible free. Something strong enough to make her sister panic. To be honest, underneath the madness of her stigma, she was scared. She had never been scared before.

And it was fear she was now fighting. It hung over her like a dark shadow. She needed to prove she was the stronger one. So she searched and killed, killed and searched. Many a demon and angel had fallen to her, and that won't end anytime soon in this life, or the next.

Her axe slammed into the skull of an angel she ran past.

She would become stronger.

Stronger than her sister.

Stronger than anyone.

Stronger than the gods themselves.

That was her madness.

That was the madness of the Wicked Eye.

**Author Afterword**

I suck at conversations. At least I think. Is it normal to think your own writing is boring after the fifth proofread? This chapter was mainly conversations, which I find hard to write, because I personally hate when writers keep repeating who says what, so I try to give the characters speech quirks to discern them from eachother. Is that clear enough? Now, I will start employing time skips from now on, which I will premise as much as I can. Why? Well it's either that or little to no progress in the overarching plot of the story. But you readers now better what you want so let me know, one way or another.

And as Always, thank you for reading.

Update: It's been a couple of weeks since I updated so i thought I should let all you know. I have been unable to write the past few weeks because well, my dad's in the hospital and I have been taking care of my younger sisters while my mom is with him at the hospital. I'll probably have a chapter up at the end of the month or begin September since my dad will be coming home in a couple of days. Thank you for your patience.


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